Lunaverse: Galaxy Rangers - The White Raven
Chapter 28
by Rixizu
Trixie unmorphed and sat down on the ground. Her body throbbed like she had just been beaten with a mallet over and over again. She looked up and watched her friends' fight with Notary. She winced when Raindrops got backhooved. Notary was a machine. She kept coming and shrugged off any damage inflicted on her. Trixie was at a loss what to do and knew she would just get in the way. She brightened a little when Sleuth ran up to her.
"How are you feeling Lulamoon," Sleuth asked, "do you need a doctor?"
"I'm fine." Trixie waved a hoof in a dismissive gesture. She scrunched her face at the use of her last name but ignored it for the moment.
Sleuth eyed the unconscious Fisher. “He will need one though.” He tapped his chin. “Excuse me.” He ran towards the gate that Trixie broke earlier in her rampage and left the grounds.
Trixie winced when she saw the gate. Why the hay did she do that? A full-frontal assault was not like her at all. Why didn’t she sneak around and find clues? Why was she so determined to take down Greengrass? Her memory felt a little fuzzy. Something was not right with her. She remembered going off to examine those alleys to find clues about Pokey’s murder with her friends than nothing. It physically hurt to think about what happened afterward. Was her mind tampered with? It all clicked if that was true. This pain and fuzziness must be side effects of the spell. The victim wasn’t meant to dwell on the plot holes of their memories. Then, what could she trust? What else might have been tampered with? Was there anything left in her memory was still trustworthy? Her friends. She realized she did know one thing that wasn't tampered with. She was friends with the other Ranger and she was their leader and the Red Ursa Ranger! Good, that was a start. Finding solid concrete facts was a good idea.
Trixie smiled as Sleuth walked back towards her. “Hold on.” He said. “The paramedics will be here shortly.”
"I need to ask you something," Trixie stated and explained her problem. Sleuth nodded when she finished.
“Ah yes, good idea.” He said nodding. “I will be glad to help. I know how nasty and confusing memories spells can be. The damage won’t be as bad as you surmise. Don’t overthink it. If it was truly bad, you would be either insane or a vegetable. The more the mind is tampered with, the more damage is done to it. I think the alterations only affected subdue and specific memories. I have to warn you, they have a bad habit of attacking the mind when you try to recall something they want you to forget. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
"Ok," Trixie said hesitantly but also relieved at the same time.
Sleuth seemed to think for a moment. “Tell me, why did you think it was a good to attack Greengrass in a full-frontal assault?” He gave a wry smile.
"Well, um, I thought Greengrass murdered Pokey, and I wanted to bring him to justice," Trixie explained and saying it out loud made her realize just how dumb of a reason it was.
“How convenient for the Duke.” Sleuth muttered. “I’m guessing the moments after you left us to search for clues have disappeared?” Trixie nodded. “He must have flared your dislike of him and planted the idea in your head that he murdered Pierce. I doubt he altered more than that. We should have your mind scanned just in case. You never know. This is big if we can catch him red hooved on this. Mind alteration spells are a serious felony."
That was a good thought. Trixie realized something. She must have been really close to the truth of Pokey's murder for Greengrass to do something that desperate. Yes, that was it wasn't it? Greengrass wasn’t the murderer. She doubted a coward like him would ever get his own hooves dirty. Yet, he also wasn’t the type to have ponies killed.
No, don’t worry about that now. Trixie told herself. No speculations for the moment. Just review all the facts and that should lead to the culprit.
“What happened after I disappeared?” Trixie asked.” Did you find anything?”
“Yes and no.” Sleuth said. “We never actually found anything per se, but an exploded alley is a pretty clear indicator that there was something there to find.”
Trixie made a face. Great, still that does pretty much prove it was the scene of the attack. After that, the assailant moved the dying Pokey to that quarry, and he died of blood loss. One of her fruit knives was used to hide the real knife wound then hidden in a bush for the police to find. A chariot cloaked in an invisibility spell was used to move the body and a tarp was used to cover it. The killer wrote the message ‘Trixie’ to frame her making it seem like it was Pokey’s last words. She saw that there were several angles they could use to find and pin the real killer. Trixie growled.
“What is it?” Sleuth craned his head.
“I just realized that all the evidence used in the murder was probably destroyed. That alley was the only thing we had left!” Trixie almost all but spat. Sleuth gave out a small laugh.
“What?” Trixie glared at the detective.
"Calm down." Sleuth said. "Remember, no criminal is perfect. Often, they overlook something. Like say, they wipe an entire room but miss the fact they left their hoofprints on a door knob. Or, they turned on a lamp.”
“We both know Greengrass has some involvement with the murder.” Trixie almost threw up her hooves. Was he blind to the Duke’s cunning? “Even if he wasn’t the killer, there is no way he would leave any evidence that would point to one of his associates!”
Sleuth sighed and shook his head. “Nopony is omniscient. Even smart ponies make mistakes. Think about what I said about the lamp or door knob. You would be surprised just how many things we do without thinking. That is where the criminal often slips up. Nopony can think of everything.”
Trixie fought back her frustration and thought. Was it possible he might be right? Something just occurred to her. What about the time between Pokey’s stabbing and his arrival at the quarry? What happened then? Also, how did the killer move the body in the middle of Canterlot in the middle of the afternoon without anypony noticing? Trixie winced again and her head ached in a sudden burst of pain. Something about this subject had to do with her memory loss. How convenient for Greengrass. Though, she might be able to use it to her advantage. It would show her that she’s on the right track.
Whatever, she would worry about that another time. She needed to focus on the killer’s true identity. The rush of pain this time was almost overwhelming. It must be because she guessed the real killer before the spell. It has hard not to topple over from how much her head was throbbing. No, she refused to give up. If she could guess it before, nothing was stopping her from doing it again. What did she know about the killer? They were cold, ruthless and a quick thinker. Despite stabbing Pokey in an alley, they made no obvious mistakes. She remembered how the killer viciously attacked Pokey giving him no chance of escape even kicking him where they stabbed him several times to prevent him from doing anything. Heartless, just like… Trixie’s head felt on the verge of bursting and tear fell from her eyes.
“Lulamoon!” Sleuth said in alarm and concern.
“Notary!” Trixie bit out forcing the words. It came out in a dry rasp. She refused to let that memory spell win. Saying that single solitary word hurt, but her head felt better after the words were forced out. “Notary, it has to be her!”
Sleuth looked at her impressed and nodded. “She was my first suspect too. It fits. She doesn’t have a solid alibi during the time of the murder. The fact that somepony wants you to forget that is pretty damning though it doesn’t exactly count as admissible evidence.”
Something just occurred to Trixie. If it was Notary, how did she move Pokey’s body from the alley? Notary was not a large mare. It would be difficult for her to move Pokey’s large stallion form. Maybe it’s nothing. Earth ponies were surprisingly strong. Still, it bothered her and her instincts told her she was on the right path.
Trixie looked at Notary in her yellow armor. The mare was tanking Twilight’s shots like they were gnat bites and Twilight wasn’t able to teleport away in time to avoid Notary’s chakram in the chest. Notary walked up to Twilight and threw her across the grounds, the White Ranger landed with a painful thud making Trixie wince. Raindrops, in turn, punched Notary in the face, but the hit barely registered and she received a punch to the gut in response.
Trixie growled. She should be out there helping and she had to force herself to calm down. Even if she couldn’t fight, she could still solve Pokey’s murder.
“A real monster that one.” Sleuth commented. “Nothing seems to phase her. It is hard to believe a tiny mare like that could become such a terrifying juggernaut.”
Trixie’s eyes widened in sudden realization. Could that be it? Why not? It was so simple! Maybe a bit of a long shot and might not even work at all, but it was worth a try.
“Sleuth, do you have any of Twilight’s Luminol left?” Trixie asked.
Sleuth pulled a spray bottle of the chemical out of his trench coat and gave it over to Trixie. “You have an idea?” His eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Raindrops!” Trixie threw the spray bottle to the Black Ranger. “Spray it on her!”
Raindrops grabbed the bottle out of the air and nodded and didn’t bother asking any questions. Notary responded by summoning her weapon and cutting the spray bottle in half its contents falling to the ground. Only for the liquid to stop in mid-fall illuminated by Twilight's magical aura. Twilight threw the chemical at Notary covering her with it.
Trixie gasped. She was right. Spots appeared on Notary’s armor glowed blue in the dark night and soft lamp light. It was shocking just how much covered her armor. There was a noticeable large glow on her left hoof. The blood stains even extended to her morpher.
Trixie pointed right at Notary staring her right in the visor. "Notary, you are Pokey’s killer!"
Much to Trixie's surprise, Notary's body slumped like it was drained of all its energy. Trixie thought it was over and Notary would give up, but the Yellow Ranger sprung to life a second later and darted right towards Trixie.
Oh crap! Trixie’s heart raced as she saw death coming right at her. She almost forgot about her powers for a moment.
“It’s morphing…” Trixie screamed when Notary threw her chakram right at her and she almost didn’t jump out of the way in time. Trixie fell to the ground with a painful thud. She looked up to see Notary looming right over her chakram raised to strike.
“Trixie!” Twilight teleported in time and blocked the attack with the broad end of her guns. “Get her out of here!” She ordered to Sleuth, and he nodded.
“Come on. It isn’t safe.” Sleuth grabbed Trixie by the hooves and pulled her up. She hated running away, but it wasn't the time to worry about pride.
Raindrops flew down next to Twilight and growled and gripped her axe hard. She swung her weapon right at Notary’s head almost toppling the mare to the ground. Raindrops followed up with a vicious kick that sent Notary reeling.
“You are not going to hurt Trixie, murderer!” Raindrops snarled with pent up fury. She unleashed a barrage of vicious looking swings of her axe. Notary tried to block the attacks with her own weapon, but she couldn’t handle the intensity of the blows and they threw her weapon from her hooves. Sparks flew as Raindrops hacked away and she moved in position for her super attack.
"Wave Cleaver!" A torrent of water formed around Raindrops's axe and she swung it down hard at Notary, only for the Yellow Ranger to catch Raindrops’s hoof stopping the blade inches from her face. They struggled with Raindrops putting everything into her push, but it wasn’t enough. Notary shoved the hoof back with almost casual ease.
"Raindrops!" Twilight rushed forward to aid her companion, but Notary in a sudden motion twisted Raindrops' axe towards Twilight hitting her square in the chest. She screamed and collapsed to the ground. The force of the wave created by Raindrops' axe creating a deep gash in the ground.
Raindrops stared at Twilight with obvious horror and Notary took advantage of this with a punch that sent her flying across the courtyard. Notary caught up with the recovering Raindrops and grabbed the mare by the head and slammed her into the ground again and again. It was a like an earthquake each time Notary hit Raindrops into the pavement. It created ever deepening cracks in the ground. Notary finished with one final smash and Raindrops fell to the ground and soon unmorphed.
"Raindrops," Trixie said in a wide-eyed whisper. Notary stepped over Raindrops fallen form and trotted towards Trixie.
Trixie cursed. She had no choice now but to fight. “It’s morphing time! Ursa!”
“Trixie, you can’t possibly…” Sleuth started to say, but Trixie interrupted him.
"I know," Trixie said solemnly, "get out of here."
Sleuth looked like he was about to say something, but changed his mind and nodded and ran off.
Trixie looked towards Twilight and sighed in relief. She looked a little shaky, but ready to fight. Trixie tried not to tremble as Notary walked right towards here. This mare was a monster, how could they even stop her? Trixie almost jumped as Twilight teleported next to her.
“Can you handle this?” Twilight asked in a whisper.
"Heck no," Trixie responded without hesitation.
"Oh, I was hoping you weren't going to say that," Twilight responded with some humor in her voice.
"I just realized something," Trixie said as a gut twisting thought came to her.
“What?”
“If we destroy her morpher, there's no evidence to clear me," Trixie said her heart starting to sink. Like this couldn't get even worse.
"We'll think of something," Twilight said trying to be reassuring.
Trixie responded with a sigh. Sometimes her life really really sucked hard. She perked up when she noticed something in the corner of her eye. Raindrops was smiling. She gave Trixie a nod and lowered her head pretending to be unconscious. That sneaky little filly. Trixie gave her own grim smile. They might still win this.
Twilight made the first move and teleported next to Notary and shot her at point blank range. Notary tried to retaliate with her chakram, but Twilight teleported away before it even got close. Twilight kept this up softening her opponent but never getting close enough to be in any danger. Trixie watched from a distance waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Notary changed tactics. When Twilight teleported after dodging a swipe from Notary’s chakram, Notary turned around and threw her weapon right at Trixie catching her target off guard. Twilight saw what was happening when she rematerialized and shot the projectile out of the air redirecting it so it only clipped Trixie in the head.
This provided a perfect distraction for Notary who charged and kick Twilight in the ribs. Twilight grunted in pain and Notary followed up with a punch in the neck. Twilight teleported away before Notary had the chance to follow up with anything else. This gave the secretary an opening right at Trixie who summoned her sword in time to deflect the chakram an inch from her face. Notary didn’t let up and kicked Trixie before she could respond. Trixie howled in pain and was powerless when Notary moved in for another attack. Much to Trixie relief, Twilight teleported protectively between them and glared down the Yellow Ranger. To Notary’s surprise, Twilight grabbed her and teleported them both away somewhere. Trixie couldn’t see them anywhere. It was the sound of battle on the other side of the mansion that keyed Trixie to where they were.
Trixie threw out a series of expletives. She was so useless right now. Twilight was smart to teleport Notary away like that. In the end, Trixie was just a distraction that only got in the way. The ground cracked when she punched in the ground in frustration.
“Wonderful, there goes that idea.” Raindrops said and gave self-deprecating snort. “So much for trying to be clever for once.”
“Can you still fight?” Trixie asked trotting up to her.
Raindrops nodded. “I can. She didn’t hurt me as much as I let on.” She morphed back to her armor a moment later.
Trixie’s mind raced. They still might pull this off. Notary doesn’t know Raindrops is still in the fight. That could mean something. What, she didn’t know. Raindrops looked at her expectantly.
"Well come on," Trixie said taking off towards the sound of fighting.
When Trixie peeked behind the side of the mansion, it was apparent that things weren’t going so hot for Twilight. She kept ahead of Notary with her teleporting, but Trixie knew that such a rapid-fire use of magic was draining her friend. She was using her teleporting less and less. Worse, Notary just kept coming and it seemed Twilight wasn’t able to do much damage to her.
Twilight danced around Notary keeping her distance at all times. Notary, on the other hoof, kept her moments minimal conserving her strength and only moved or attacked when she had a clear opportunity to strike back. Trixie winced when a sudden punch hit Twilight in her side and she spluttered in pain. She recovered fast from the hit and was soon on the move again. This wasn't working. If Trixie didn't do something fast, this would end badly for Twilight.
"Stay here," Trixie whispered to Raindrops.
“Hey!” Trixie yelled coming around the building and showing herself off to everypony in view. Notary turned and stared at her. She couldn’t see Twilight’s face, but Trixie could tell the mare was freaking out right now.
“What are you doing?” Raindrops hissed.
“Just wait here for the signal. I have an idea.” Trixie whispered back and started towards Twilight and Notary. Truthfully, she had no idea what she was doing, but when did she ever let that stop her?